UFC featherweight champion [autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag] will look to make the first defense of his newly-won title as he takes on the man he defeated to win it.
Volkanovski (21-1 MMA, 8-0 UFC) will face former featherweight champ Max Holloway in the co-main event of UFC 251, which takes place Saturday at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.
The Australian powerhouse and former rugby player has risen through the featherweight ranks in impressive fashion to prove his worth as a legitimate threat to the world’s best. Then, once he shared the cage with the division’s top names, he proved himself to be every bit their equal as he captured the UFC’s 145-pound title at UFC 245.
Now the man with the target on his back, Volkanovski returns to action as a defending UFC champion for the first time at UFC 251. Ahead of his co-main event clash with Holloway (21-5 MMA, 17-5 UFC) on Saturday, we take a look at the five fights that have helped define the Aussie’s UFC career so far.
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Mizuto Hirota at UFC Fight Night 110 – Jun. 11, 2017
After making a winning start to life in the UFC with a victory at 155 pounds, Alexander Volkanovski dropped down to featherweight and didn’t miss a beat as he scored a dominant decision win over the teak-tough Japanese fighter Mizuto Hirota.
Vokanovski battered Hirota throughout their three round contest, but try as he might, the Aussie just couldn’t quite find a route to a finish against the remarkably durable Hirota in Auckland.
Despite being unable to grab a stoppage win, Volkanovski’s relentless pace showed that, despite the move down to 145 pounds, there were no issues with his gas tank on the way down to his new weight class. His 30-27 scores on all three cards highlighted his dominance, and set the groundwork for a run of results at featherweight that would eventually lead him all the way to the UFC 145-pound strap.
Watch Alexander Volkanovski vs. Mizuto Hirota on UFC Fight Pass
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